Cal State Fullerton can’t keep pace with Duke in NCAA tournament loss

They stood within the lengthy shadow of a legend, plucky upstarts hoping to upend the bluest of blue bloods, however understanding the chances have been stacked towards them.

Cal State Fullerton knew all too effectively what it was prefer to face down these lengthy odds. Few anticipated the Fifteenth-seeded Titans to even compete within the Huge West this season, not to mention stand in the way in which of No. 2 seed Duke and its legendary coach’s final trip.

When the tip lastly got here Friday, with Duke delivering the knockout blow in a 78-61 defeat for Fullerton, coach Dedrique Taylor put his arms round E.J. Anosike, assuring him of how far he’d come. The fifth-year senior had taken a winding path to Southern California, with stops at Sacred Coronary heart and Tennessee.

However in coming to Fullerton, Anosike had grow to be the guts of an upstart that proved its mettle again and again Friday, even in defeat.

“We talked about this second of time, consider it or not. We talked about profitable a Huge West Convention championship. We talked about attending to the NCAA match. That was a mission we each have been on to proceed to validate the work that each of us put in,” Taylor mentioned. “I simply thanked him for giving me the chance to be part of what he did. And what he did, I believe, was nothing wanting highly effective for our program.”

That can was evident Friday, even it wasn’t fairly mirrored within the last rating. When Duke (29-6) jumped to a 17-4 lead, Fullerton refused to fold, firing again from its three-of-18 begin from the sector to chop the result in six. Many times, because the Blue Devils pushed forward, the Titans (21-11) swung again.

That benefit was finally too troublesome to beat as Duke bullied Fullerton with its measurement and sped previous them in transition.

“Duke winds up with the ball,” Taylor mentioned, “and the following factor you already know it’s a dunk.”

However there could be no backing down from Fullerton, not till the inevitable was too inconceivable to disregard.

“A variety of groups, after they’re down in powerful occasions, they’d have stop,” Anosike mentioned. “So long as our coronary heart’s nonetheless beating, we’re going to maintain going and nonetheless attempting to play to win.”

For Anosike, that problem was particularly troublesome on Friday. Matched with doubtless top-five choose Paolo Banchero, the 6-7 ahead struggled to ascertain himself on the offensive finish. He battled Banchero and the remainder of Duke’s frontline for rebounds, getting 10.

Anosike was certainly one of 4 Fullerton gamers to complete in double figures, however the Huge West’s main scorer was restricted to only 10 factors. Damari Milstead, one other switch who joined Fullerton this season from San Francisco, led the way in which with 12.

Their effort impressed Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has extra nationwide titles (5) than Fullerton has match appearances (4).

“We beat a very good staff,” Krzyzewski mentioned. “Dedrique’s staff is an previous veteran staff, champions, and recognized for his or her protection. They’ve actually performed arduous defensively towards us.”

Finally, sheer drive of will wasn’t sufficient to beat a staff with three doubtless NBA lottery picks. However in defeat, there was no query of whether or not Fullerton had left all of it on the ground.

“We sacrificed so much all yr to be on this place going into this to make historical past,” Anosike mentioned. “We believed. We gave ourselves an opportunity. We emptied our tank.”